


Waiting

by hic_sunt_dracones



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Crack, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-26
Updated: 2012-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-22 13:12:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/610197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hic_sunt_dracones/pseuds/hic_sunt_dracones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in 2005 for my friend Snoy who wanted Dumblediggory or Diggorydore ;P <br/>Complete and utter crack, implied "relations" between two dead characters oh god. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is what he's waited for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting

He’d been waiting for what seemed like ages for someone, anyone to appear. The copse of trees he currently lounged beneath was not much companionship. Nor were the few boulders he liked to sit and sunbathe upon. When he heard the tell-tale sounds of another living being, he became quite excited and nearly wee’d his pants. Luckily, he had good control.

Finally when the eagerly anticipated person appeared, Cedric was quite shocked. He’d thought the man would live many, many more years than this. Of course, Cedric had no idea of the actual time that had passed since his unfortunate demise during the last task of that freaking tournament. But the long white beard and spangled purple robes were the attire of only one wizard Cedric had ever known. (Gilderoy Lockhart didn’t count.)

The blackened, shriveled hand jingled the two glinting coins that had been placed on Dumbledore’s eyes prior to the funeral. Cedric looked on as his old Headmaster watched, eyes glistening in amazement and awe, the transformation of his disfigured hand into a brand new hand. He felt a bit resentful thinking back to how long he’d wandered about, bumping into things, falling over into holes, tripping over roots, toppling into the river…until he realised he had coins over his eyes that could be removed.

Suddenly, Dumbledore looked up, a great, genuine smile covering his face at the sight of Cedric. “Mr. Diggory!” he said cheerfully. “I’d not expected to see you here! What a wonderful surprise.”

“It’s great to see you too, Headmaster,” said Cedric, almost immediately recognising his blunder, “I mean, I’m sorry for your…for your…loss, sir.”

Dumbledore laughed loudly. “Nonsense, my boy! The Afterlife: the next great adventure! What a wondrous time!” The headmaster’s eyes twinkled just as Cedric remembered. Self-consciously, Cedric’s hand moved to his pocket to finger the coins in his own pocket. He didn’t think it was such a great adventure. It had been some time he’d been stuck here now. It was quite boring, really.

“Tell me,” Dumbledore started, “what have you accomplished since you’ve been here? Surely you’ve discovered many fantastic things!"

Cedric was a bit taken aback. Certainly things looked nice right around here: there were the trees and the rocks and grass and the river…but when you looked further out, things just faded into nothing.

“Well, sir, I’ve swam a bit. Tossed a few rocks into the river. My aim's quite good. I’ve eaten the fruit from the trees and the occasional bit of meat and bread that appears on that rock there. I’ve carved a few things into the rocks and bark, of course. Slept quite a bit.” He paused. He’d not done much at all, he realised.

“A fine time! A fine time!” the Headmaster said. Cedric blinked at him. It wasn’t really.

“Your appearance, sir, has actually been the highlight of my time here. I’ve not seen another living being the entire time,” Cedric admitted. “I was beginning to get a bit lonely, you see.” He blinked back a few tears. He’d really missed Cho. Her small, soft bosoms had comforted him and calmed him in the stressful last year of his life. He’d not touched bosoms in a lifetime, it seemed.

The Headmaster walked over and began to pat Cedric’s shoulder comfortingly. “There, there, Mr. Diggory. Time can be a lonely thing. It is fortunate we’ve found one another, isn’t it? Otherwise, we might’ve spent an eternity alone. We're meant to help each other out.” Dumbledore smoothed his hand down Cedric’s back in what could only be called a tender sort of touch. It had been so long since Cedric had had anyone comfort him. He leaned back into the Headmaster’s soft purple robes.

The previously blackened hand slid across his jaw and tipped his face toward the Headmaster. “Chin up, young Diggory! You’ve got your entire Afterlife in front of you. Certainly we’ll find something to do with all of this time.” Dumbledore stared meaningfully into Cedric’s deep blue eyes. How odd it was that the twinkling, sparkling colour of the old man’s eyes was so appealing to Cedric. But it was!

Cedric found his own hand suddenly clutching the older man’s now-wrinkled one that rest upon his cheek. “Oh, I’d like that, Headmaster, sir. It’s good to have company after all this time. Alone.” He also found his thumb rubbing insistently against the Headmaster’s wrist.

“Such a gentle boy! So talented.” Dumbledore said as his other not-previously-shriveled hand began to unbutton and part Cedric’s robes. Cedric found he was very much excited at the prospect of what could happen with the older and much more experienced man. He was no Cho, quite the opposite actually, but he was someone, and Cedric has not had anyone in so long.

*** *** ***  
Cedric found his days in the Afterlife were much more fulfilled and purposeful after the Headmaster arrived. His life, his Afterlife, had actual meaning now. Before, he’d wandered and tediously tried to leave this place. Now he knew where he was meant to be: here. He’d been waiting there that entire time for this.

No longer did he pine for Cho (as much) and her soft, small bosom with her dainty embrace and beautiful mouth. Albus’s whiskered mouth and wrinkled, bony embrace were all he needed.

They had so much in common! Both had passed on recently. Both had been at Hogwart’s at that time. They were both wizards. They were both missing another who was dear to them. Cedric knew he could talk to the Headmaster about Cho any time he wanted. Headmaster was a good listener. In return, Cedric listened to Albus’s endless stories about Fawkes and candy and his dizzying random babble. It was Cedric’s own opinion that the Headmaster would be waiting much longer for Fawkes than he would be waiting for his Cho. But he never said as much. It would have been cruel.

In the meantime, whisker-kisses and snitch-worn hands were more than enough comfort to pass the time until each would be reunited with his own missed one. And, in time, each man would come to know the love that came from acceptance and loss. Gnarled hands and a thick, wiry beard would be more comforting than Cedric ever imagined.


End file.
